Given the type of horse Art Sherman typically trains, the 77-year-old never expected to stand where he did Tuesday: Needing a boost from a stepstool on the Churchill Downs backside to address a throng of reporters about his Kentucky Derby favorite.

It's been 59 years since Sherman rode cross country with Swaps, lying on a bed of hay with the eventual 1955 Derby winner for which he served as exercise rider. Though Sherman has nearly 2,300 victories as a trainer and has sent horses to the Breeders' Cup, he never knew if he'd return to Churchill for the Derby.

"I always wanted a contender," said Sherman, who will enter California Chrome for Saturday's race. "I was always that way. I didn't want to bring a horse back here just because I got in on the seat of my pants."

Sherman has California Chrome's owners to thank for that. He said that following a romp in the April 5 Santa Anita Derby, Steve Coburn and Perry Martin were offered $6 million for 51 percent ownership of a horse they bred from a mare purchased for $8,000.

Selling more than half the horse would have given the new owner — Sherman declined to name the interested party — power to give California Chrome a different trainer.

Instead California Chrome, who arrived Monday afternoon to Churchill Downs, took to the track early Tuesday for a routine gallop on a muddy surface under Sherman's direction. The trainer awoke the Lucky Pulpit colt early — at about 2 a.m. PT — but said California Chrome "went super" nonetheless.

After California Chrome clocked a half mile in 48.20 on Saturday at Los Alamitos, Sherman won't work him at Churchill Downs. But the colt will continue to gallop in the mornings as well as school in the paddock and gate.

"My exercise boy said that's the best he's felt in a long time," Sherman said of Tuesday's training. "He enjoyed the track a lot. He said he was different. He was more aggressive since he got here, so that's a good sign."

Given the 20-horse field size and California Chrome's tendency to run near the lead, Sherman said he wants to see the colt no worse than fourth or fifth on the Churchill backstretch Saturday.

"I talked to Victor (Espinoza), who's been riding him," Sherman said. "He says, 'I haven't ever asked this horse to run in his last three races.

"…I think he's my Swaps, for sure. That was a different era. I just hope my horse can perform three quarters what Swaps did."

Jonathan Lintner can be reached at (502) 582-4199; follow him on Twitter @JonathanLintner.